A/N: Sorry if I was too in-depth with Sheik's explanation in the last chapter, but I can't help it, I'm an in-depth person! 

The Real Battle

Destiny hardly noticed, or card, that she was not in the chamber from before but on the roof of the tower. What she noticed and cared about was the sight of her parents, freed from their crystals, lying side-by-side on an altar in the likeness of the Pedestal of Time with Ganondorf raising the false Master Sword above his head and reciting all the ritualistic, sacrificial things from her dream. He was nearly finished and about to strike. His blow would never fall.

"GA-NON-DORF!"roared Destiny in a furious passion, emphasizing each syllable. Ganondorf instantly lowered the sword and spun around in shock. He didn't see Destiny until he glanced up. She had leapt into the air and, with a great cry, she brought the Master Sword crashing down on him in a devastating blow from over her head. He moved, but was still struck. As he fell in pain, Destiny landed on the opposite side of him and spun around. "Ganondorf!" she shouted again.

"You!" gasped Ganondorf. "You died! You're supposed to be dead!"

"Surprise," said Destiny bitterly. She attacked again, but Ganondorf was ready this time and threw her off. When he noticed her sword he laughed.

"Did you really think you could fool me with that fake Master Sword?" he asked.

"What makes you think this one's fake?" asked Destiny flatly. Ganondorf stopped laughing abruptly and looked at the sword in his hand. It shimmered and became an ordinary sword with a tag attached that read: GOTCHA! He stared at it, and looked back at Destiny, who gave him a mirthless smile. Without warning she struck again, catching Ganondorf off-guard this time. He fell back with a cry. Destiny rushed to him and raised her sword with a growl, ready to make an end of the not-so-great Ganondorf.

"I know it's a small target," said Toan, "but aim for his heart." Destiny nodded resolutely, but before she could strike, Ganondorf's breath ceased and he lay perfectly still. Destiny stood over him for a short time, panting. Suddenly she snapped out of her trance and rushed over to the altar, to her parents.

"Mother? Father?" she asked. "Can you hear me? Please wake up." There was no response. She shook them, calling them over and over, telling them that she had defeated Ganondorf. Nothing. Tears welled up in her eyes and she bit her lip. "Mommy. Daddy. Please, please, open your eyes! It's all OK now, please wake up," she whispered helplessly. Tears started to spill down her cheeks. But just as they did, she felt as though she was being watched by some sort of evil. Her face contorted into a mask of fury and hate, and she spun around with a horrible screech, whirled her blade through the air, and hardly felt it as it slid into Ganondorf's heart. He froze where he was, lowered his blade, looked down at the blade in his chest, and stared at Destiny in abject incredulity. She looked fierce, with tear tracks on her face, her teeth gritted, her eyes wild and full of fire you could see. She just stood there, gripping the hilt tightly, her arm fully extended.

"How can it be?" she asked scathingly. "The great Ganondorf, beaten by this kid?" With a shout, she withdrew the Master Sword from him and watched him fall to his knees before her with no pity in her eyes. He coughed, stared up at her, and croaked out something she couldn't hear. "What?" she demanded, bending down so he could say it in her ear.

"Y-you…you w-w-win," he gasped. "C-clever g-gi-girl. You a-are your fa-fath-father's dau-dau-daughter. He-he'd be proud." With that, he breathed his last. Destiny just stared at his fallen body, wondering if now the great beast Ganon would come forth and attempt to destroy her. But no, even Ganondorf couldn't rise after being pierced in the heart by the Master Sword. She raised the flat of her sword to her forehead, inclined her head a little, closed her eyes, and swung her sword to the side, raising her head and opening her eyes. It was a gesture made to a fallen foe when they had fought hard. Destiny knew that Ganondorf hardly deserved the ancient respects of battle, he wouldn't have given them to her had he killed her, but she did anyway. She felt a healing wind blow and looked around. Ganondorf's death was causing the evil in Hyrule to blown away like black sand. She grew dizzy and faint, but stood strong until the winds died down. When they had, and she was standing under the night sky on the roof of the tallest tower of the castle, she turned back to her parents. With an almighty clang! the Master Sword fell to the ground and Destiny fell to her knees beside her parents' lifeless bodies, sobbing her heart out. Toan hovered near her, pulsing gently, trying to get her to calm down a little before she hurt herself. She looked up at him and started wailing again. Toan pressed against her cheek, crying with her. Finally Destiny calmed enough to stand and go around to her parents' heads. Bending down, she kissed both of them, her tears dripping off her face onto their eyes and mouths, flowing between their lips. She turned away and started sobbing again. She didn't turn around when she heard the sound of cloth moving on stone behind her. However, she spun around as though she was being attacked again when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder.

"Papa?" she whispered. Link smiled at her.

"My brave daughter," he said affectionately, "you've made me so proud. It's beyond words, how I feel. You saved us. You saved all of Hyrule. My little heroine." Destiny just stared at him for a moment, and her mother who was standing next to him. Then, with a cry quite unlike those she uttered in her battle with Ganondorf, she threw herself into her parents' arms, crying for joy. She felt both of them holding her, saying things she couldn't hear. She couldn't hear anything, really. Everything faded to black, beautiful, welcome blackness that numbed the pains of battle.

When Destiny woke, she was back in her own bed and her parents were sitting next to her. She smiled at them tiredly.

"I was so afraid you were dead," she said softly.

"We were too," replied Link. "But we're not. We're right here beside you and we're not leaving until you can rise off that bed without help."

"What do you mean, I can get off the bed-" began Destiny, starting to get up, but finding herself physically incapable of doing so, try as she might. Her parents smiled at her again as she fell back. "All right, so I can't," she said. "Who says I want to anyway?"

"No one, dearest," said Zelda. "I'd be surprised if you could rise up immediately, after what you've been through."

"But as soon as you're strong enough to get up and walk around, there's going to be a ceremony to honor you for saving Hyrule," Link added.

"I'm never getting off this bed," said Destiny flatly. Link and Zelda laughed.

"Sorry, but it has to be done," said Zelda.

"Says who?" asked Destiny, irked. "If the Golden Goddesses don't come down here and tell me that it must be done, I don't see why it must be done!" More parental laughter.

"It's a tradition to honor our heroes," said Zelda firmly.

"Oh, go and hang your traditions," said Destiny. Then she sighed. "Just don't make it take too long, all right?"

"Of course," said Link. "Besides, it'll be at least a week I'd say."

"I am not staying in bed for a week," said Destiny.

"If you're feeling stronger before then, you won't have to," replied Link.

"Wait a minute, where's Sheik?" asked Destiny suddenly.

"Sheik? Sweetheart, that was my disguise when Ganondorf took power in the Dark Ages so I could help your father," said Zelda.

"No, he's a real person, he helped me," insisted Destiny. Her parents exchanged looks. "Hold on, I remember a legend…" said Link slowly.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" asked Zelda.

"A Sheikah legend," continued Link. "Yes. Impa had a husband and his name was Sheik. They came to be known as the survivors of the Sheikahs after a time, but Sheik himself disappeared. That's why Impa became Zelda's nurse. People said Sheik died."

"People said you died," Destiny pointed out. "That was before you married Mother and everyone realized that you had just gone on your own adventures, not that you had died."

"True," agreed Link. "Maybe it was Sheik."

"Maybe," said Zelda. "But let's not talk about legends now. You've just finished your own legend, now you need sleep."

"No arguments here," said Destiny with a smile. Her parents kissed her forehead, said good-night and how unspeakably proud they were, and left her alone. For about ten seconds Destiny debated about getting up and getting out of her leggings and shirt (her mother had removed her tunic, cap, and boots) and putting on her nightgown, but decided she was too tired to even think about it.

"Toan," she said softly. Toan flew over to her. She smiled at him. "I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you."

"If you need me, I'll be there," said Toan. "You have my word."

"I just need your friendship," replied Destiny. "Come a little closer." He did and she kissed him. He glowed a violet-red colour: he was blushing. She smiled at him and fell fast asleep again. In a dream she saw herself sitting on the island in the centre of Lake Hylia. She was wearing her loose white shirt and black leggings, her hair was loose, and she lay on her back, completely relaxed and serene.

"Glad that you're feeling better," came a voice. Destiny opened one eye and smiled at Sheik.

"I'm glad to see you," she said. "Where's you go?"

"I was waiting at the end of the bridge," replied Sheik. "I could see everything that happened." Destiny didn't respond at first.

"Who are you, exactly?" she asked presently. "Are you the one from legends, Impa's husband?"

"I am," said Sheik. "I left all those years ago to fulfill my own destiny. I was in Termina, battling a different evil, I believe a relative of Ganondorf."

"No offense, but I don't want to hear any more legends about great evils just yet," Destiny said. "I'm still recovering from the last one."

"Well you wouldn't be here if you weren't," replied Sheik.

"I know, the lake heals," Destiny said. "I don't care right now. I don't care about anything except sleeping until my body and spirit stop hurting."

"You can do that out here," Sheik said. "I'll stay with you."

"I'd like that," said Destiny sleepily. Sheik settled down on the grassy knoll next to her.

"I used to watch you and your father sleep under the stars out here," he said softly. "He'd tell you stories and you'd sleep using him as a pillow. Your mother thought that was so cute."

"I remember," sighed Destiny. "He promised we'd do that again soon."

"And you will," said Sheik. "But for now, just sleep away your pains. Everything will be better in the morning." Destiny was already fast asleep. She knew now that, no matter what challenges faced her in the future, she wouldn't face them alone. And she'd be strong enough for anything, as long as her family was with her, in her heart.

THE END